Subject 7 of 19
How sites and structures work, how major systems fail, and how environmental hazards affect transactions.
2 chapters 10 lessons 5 free practice questions
Read the rule, try the recall check, then continue to the next lesson.
Chapter 1
Learn how a property is put together, how its major systems work and which New York approvals and warranties may apply.
Exam rule
A blueprint is a drawing. Specifications are written instructions for materials and workmanship, and together they guide the work and the permit review. On the site, proper grading and drainage move water away from the structure. Landscaping, shade, walks, driveways and other appurtenances also affect use, access and drainage, while zoning controls what may be built. The structure starts with a footing that spreads the load into the soil. Foundation walls may enclose a basement or crawl space, and a slab-on-grade is a concrete floor supported directly by the ground. A sill plate connects wood framing to the foundation. Beams and girders carry joists, lally columns support beams or girders, and studs form walls. Platform construction builds one floor at a time, while post and beam construction uses larger vertical posts and horizontal beams. Rafters meet at a ridge board or ridge beam and carry roof sheathing. Wall and roof sheathing stiffen the frame and provide a base for exterior materials. A bearing wall carries weight from above. A header carries weight over a wall opening, a lintel spans an opening in masonry, and a flitch plate strengthens a wood beam with a steel plate. These pieces must tie together so loads travel safely to the soil.
Why it matters
Construction questions often describe a location or a job and ask for the correct part. Follow the load from the roof to the soil and the terms become easier to remember.
New York scenario
A buyer wants to remove the wall between a kitchen and dining room. The wall may be bearing, and a header or flitch beam may be needed. The licensee should describe the plan and refer the buyer to a qualified design professional.
Common misconception: Do not treat every horizontal member as the same thing. Joists usually carry a floor, a girder supports joists, a header spans an opening and a footing spreads the final load into soil.
Check your recall
A blueprint shows the design. Specifications state the required materials, products and workmanship in writing.
Joists transfer load to beams or girders, then to columns or foundation walls, then to footings and soil.
Both span an opening. Header is the usual framing term, while lintel is commonly used for a masonry support over an opening.
Exam rule
The building envelope separates conditioned space from outdoors, and it includes exterior walls, siding, the roof, doors, windows and insulation. Roof pitch is the slope. The eave is the roof edge that projects beyond the wall, fascia is the vertical trim at that edge, and the soffit is the finished underside. Flashing directs water away from joints, roof penetrations, windows and doors. Sheathing lies behind the roof covering or siding. Plasterboard, also called wallboard or drywall, finishes most interior walls but is not structural sheathing. R-value, sometimes called R-factor in exam material, measures resistance to heat flow, and a higher number means greater resistance when materials are compared and installed correctly. Batts, blown fiber, rigid boards and spray foam are common insulation types. Insulation may be placed in walls, attics, roof assemblies, floors over unconditioned space and around suitable foundation areas. Gaps, compression, moisture and thermal bridges lower real performance. The air barrier, insulation and structure must connect continuously. Ventilation still matters, because a tighter envelope needs controlled fresh air and moisture removal.
Why it matters
A new roof or new siding covers only part of an assembly. Students should know what each layer does and why a visible finish does not prove that hidden framing is sound.
New York scenario
An attic has deep insulation but dark staining around a roof penetration. The insulation may slow heat flow, but it does not repair failed flashing or replace needed ventilation.
Common misconception: R-value measures resistance to heat flow, not the condition of the whole house. Wet, compressed or poorly connected insulation may perform below its label.
Check your recall
The eave is the projecting roof edge, fascia is its vertical trim and soffit is the finished underside.
It directs water away from joints, penetrations and openings so water stays outside the envelope.
Gaps, compression, moisture and thermal bridges can reduce its actual resistance to heat flow.
Exam rule
Ventilation removes moisture and pollutants and brings in fresh air, and it may be natural, exhaust-only, supply-only or balanced. Heating describes how heat reaches a room, while fuel describes the energy source. Hot-water systems circulate heated water, steam systems distribute steam, and forced warm-air systems move heated air through ducts. Electricity, oil and gas can supply energy to different equipment. A BTU is a unit of heat, so BTU ratings describe capacity, not efficiency or remaining life. Central air conditioning uses a refrigeration cycle with an indoor coil, outdoor coil, compressor and blower or other distribution equipment. Some systems reject heat to air and others to water, while a heat pump reverses the cycle entirely to move heat in or out. Rapid on-and-off operation is short cycling and may signal a sizing or equipment problem. Plumbing includes water heating, supply and drain-waste-vent piping, and boiler coils can heat the domestic water as well. Cast iron and PVC are common drain materials, and each behaves differently over a long service life. Galvanized steel, brass and copper appear in older or current supply systems, each with different cost, corrosion and service-life concerns. Pipe sizing and available pressure both affect the flow a fixture actually delivers. Traps block sewer gas. Vents protect trap seals. Sanitary waste may go to a municipal sewer or an onsite system. Electrical service may arrive overhead or underground, and the utility and owner each maintain different parts, though the exact dividing point depends on the utility. A typical dwelling receives nominal 120/240-volt service, although older exam language may say 110/220. Amperage describes current. The main service rating describes capacity. Fuses melt once. Breakers can be reset after the cause is addressed. Copper is the usual conductor, and older aluminum branch wiring calls for qualified evaluation. BX armored cable, Romex nonmetallic cable, rigid conduit and flexible metal conduit, often called Greenfield, protect or contain wiring in different ways. The main panel distributes 120-volt and 240-volt circuits. The National Electrical Code, or NEC, is the model electrical safety code. Local requirements and qualified electricians control the actual work.
Why it matters
The exam mixes equipment, fuel, capacity and safety devices. First decide whether the question is about air, heat, cooling, water or electrical work.
New York scenario
A seller calls a gas-fired boiler forced-air heat. Gas is the fuel, but the delivery system may be hot water or steam. The visible piping and radiators help identify the distribution method, while a professional confirms condition.
Common misconception: A larger breaker does not repair an overloaded circuit. Breaker size must match the conductors and approved circuit design. Also, BTU capacity is not an efficiency rating.
Check your recall
The method tells how heat reaches the rooms. The fuel tells what energy source powers the equipment.
The trap holds water to block sewer gas, and the vent helps protect that water seal while waste drains.
Voltage is electrical potential. Amperage is current, and a service amperage rating helps describe capacity.
Exam rule
Plans and specifications support permit review. A building permit allows covered work, and officials check that work at required steps. A certificate of occupancy, or CO, says whether the approved space may be occupied. It does not promise that the building has no defects. New York's Uniform Code sets building and fire-safety rules outside New York City. The Energy Code sets the energy rules. The 2025 codes generally took effect on December 31, 2025. As of September 23, 2026, the Department of State says the fossil-fuel rules named in its July 2 court update remain suspended and unenforceable. Local rules can add steps. New York City has its own codes. General Business Law section 771 says a covered home-improvement contract must be written, signed and detailed, covering the work, materials, price, dates, payment safeguards and the general three-business-day cancellation notice. An emergency request can change that cancellation rule. For a covered new home, the housing merchant implied warranty generally gives one year for unskillful construction, two years for plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling and ventilation systems, and six years for a material defect. Definitions, exclusions, notice duties and a valid limited warranty still matter.
Why it matters
Keep approval papers separate from buyer protections. A permit is not a CO. Neither one replaces a warranty or an inspection.
New York scenario
A finished basement appears on a tax record but no permit or CO can be found. The tax record does not legalize the work. The buyer should check the local building department and obtain professional advice.
Common misconception: Do not say the one, two and six-year periods cover every problem automatically. The defect, timing, exclusions and required notice decide whether a claim fits.
Check your recall
The permit authorizes covered work. The CO addresses whether the approved occupancy may begin or continue.
One year for unskillful construction, two years for covered systems and six years for a material defect.
It must be written, signed and detailed as required by General Business Law section 771.
Chapter 2
Recognize environmental warning signs, match each concern to the right test or professional and know where the licensee's role stops.
Exam rule
Water may come from a municipal or other public system, from a private community system, or from an individual well. The Safe Drinking Water Act covers public water systems. It does not cover a household well that serves only its owner. New York still sets rules for new and replacement drinking-water wells in 10 NYCRR Appendix 5-B, covering construction, separation, yield tests and abandonment. Local health departments may add rules. The usual minimum separation from a septic absorption field is 100 feet, but Appendix 5-B calls for more in specified conditions, including coarse gravel or a direct drainage path toward the well. Well yield measures steady flow, not water safety. Lab tests can check bacteria, minerals, hardness, pH and organic contaminants, and treatment must match the finding. Groundwater can carry pollution that has no taste or color. A common septic system has a watertight tank and a soil absorption area, also called a drainfield. Percolation describes how water moves through soil and helps with design. A full site review uses more than one test. Appendix 75-A sets statewide minimum rules for many home systems, and a New York licensed professional engineer or registered architect prepares the plans, site review and design. Local health rules may be stricter. Ask the local health department for approvals and any as-built drawing. Slow drains, sewage odors, backup and wet ground are warning signs. They are not a licensee's diagnosis. Mud tubes, damaged wood and discarded wings may signal termites or another wood-destroying insect, and New York pesticide category 7C covers termite work. Chlordane was once used for termite control, and most uses were later canceled. A past treatment does not prove a current infestation or a safe condition.
Why it matters
Rural transactions can involve the water source, wastewater disposal and insect history at the same time. Each issue needs its own records, test and qualified professional.
New York scenario
A well produces clear water at the kitchen tap and the septic field looks dry. Those observations do not prove water quality, sustainable yield or septic performance. The buyer should obtain the right laboratory and system evaluations.
Common misconception: Do not confuse water quantity with water quality. A high-yield well can still contain bacteria or chemicals, and good-tasting water can still be unsafe.
Check your recall
Yield is the well's sustainable flow. Quality is the safety and character of the water shown by appropriate testing.
A New York licensed professional engineer or registered architect, subject to local health review.
Termite identification and treatment work.
Exam rule
Asbestos was used in insulation, fireproofing, floor tile, roofing, siding and other building materials. Friable material can be crumbled by hand pressure when dry and can release fibers more easily. Exposure can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Appearance alone is not reliable. Bulk sampling tests a material, air monitoring checks airborne fibers and wipe sampling may be used for settled dust in an appropriate investigation. Sampling, removal and disposal belong to properly qualified professionals. Lead can be present in old paint, drinking water and soil. It can harm adults, but young children and pregnant people face special risk. EPA and HUD administer the federal lead disclosure rule. For most pre-1978 housing, it requires disclosure of known lead information and records, an EPA pamphlet and a ten-day opportunity for the buyer to conduct a risk assessment or inspection unless the parties change or waive that period in writing. Testing and remediation depend on the source. Fresh paint alone is not lead abatement. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can enter through soil openings and collect indoors. Long-term exposure raises lung cancer risk. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or higher and considering action from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Test the subject property because neighboring results do not settle its level. Sub-slab depressurization is a common mitigation method, and radon-resistant features can be installed during new construction.
Why it matters
These hazards are invisible or easy to misidentify. The exam rewards the student who knows the health concern, the right test and the licensee's limit.
New York scenario
A seller painted over peeling walls in a 1965 home. The federal lead disclosure process still applies, and the new paint does not prove that the old lead hazard was removed.
Common misconception: Do not sample asbestos yourself. Touching brittle material can release more fibers. Sight alone cannot tell you whether those fibers are asbestos.
Check your recall
The material can be crumbled by hand pressure when dry and may release fibers more easily.
Ten days, unless the parties change or waive the period in writing.
At 4 pCi/L or higher.
Exam rule
Indoor air quality problems may come from weak ventilation, moisture or pollutants released indoors. When occupants report symptoms linked to time in a building but no single illness is identified, the curriculum may call it sick building syndrome. Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation, or UFFI, can release formaldehyde. Emissions often fall as the material ages, but age alone does not prove the building is safe. Mold grows where moisture persists, so the first job is to correct the water source. No federal mold limit makes a building pass or fail. In New York, covered mold assessment and remediation work requires licensed professionals, the assessor writes the plan, and the same licensee may not assess and remediate the same project. PCBs may remain in old fluorescent light ballasts, caulk, paint and other materials, and testing and cleanup depend on the material and use. The Clean Air Act supports federal controls on ozone-depleting substances. CFCs and HCFCs damage the ozone layer. Freon is a trade name used for several refrigerants, not the name of one chemical. Existing HCFC-22 equipment may continue to run, but no new HCFC-22 has been produced in or imported into the United States since January 1, 2020. Reclaimed or previously produced supply can service it, and refrigerant work may require an EPA Section 608 certified technician. Electric and magnetic fields, or EMF, occur around power sources. Health questions call for neutral language, because exposure and research findings are complex. A measurement does not by itself prove a health effect, and there is no routine real estate cure to promise.
Why it matters
This group invites overconfident claims. Give the tested fact, describe the observed condition and use the professional or agency that fits the concern.
New York scenario
A basement has a musty odor and staining below a window. The licensee can describe the moisture evidence and recommend a licensed mold assessor. The licensee should not declare the air safe or select the remediator.
Common misconception: Mold sampling does not prove compliance with a federal limit because no federal pass-or-fail limit exists. Visible mold still calls for moisture correction and appropriate evaluation.
Check your recall
Find and correct the moisture source.
No. The assessor and remediator must be independent on a covered project.
Yes. It may use reclaimed or previously produced refrigerant even though new HCFC-22 production and import ended in 2020.
Exam rule
An aboveground storage tank, or AST, sits above ground. Under the federal definition, an underground storage tank system, or UST, has at least 10 percent of the combined tank and connected underground piping volume below ground. Age alone does not prove a leak. Records, tests and expert review matter. Many home heating-oil tanks under 1,100 gallons do not need state petroleum bulk storage registration, though Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester may have different local rules. A registration exemption is not a cleanup exemption. A reportable release can still bring testing, reporting and cleanup duties, and pollution can also move through groundwater. DEC keeps spill and cleanup-site records, and a database search is only one part of due diligence. CERCLA stands for the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly called Superfund. The law gave the federal government cleanup power and may impose broad liability for hazardous releases. SARA amended and reauthorized Superfund. Freshwater wetlands may limit work in the wetland and an adjacent area. After an April 8, 2026 court ruling, DEC gave current filing guidance requiring applications for work that may affect a previously mapped wetland or a wetland of 12.4 acres or more. Maps help screen a site. A DEC jurisdictional determination is the formal review of whether a regulated wetland or adjacent area is present. Ask before clearing, filling or building.
Why it matters
Do not blend these four issues. Tank records, spill cleanup, federal cleanup law and wetland rules each answer a different question.
New York scenario
A rural buyer wants to add a garage near a wet area and an old buried oil line. The buyer should seek a DEC wetland determination and a qualified tank evaluation before disturbing either area.
Common misconception: Do not treat a clean database search or an unregistered tank as proof of no problem. Records can be incomplete, and an exempt tank can still leak.
Check your recall
It amended and reauthorized CERCLA, the federal Superfund law.
Wetlands that were previously mapped and wetlands of 12.4 acres or larger, subject to DEC's current court-response guidance.
A DEC jurisdictional determination.
Exam rule
Environmental site reviews are common in commercial and investment deals, and a home may also need one. New York's course uses four phases. Phase I is the investigative stage, and it checks records, past uses, interviews and the site itself for recognized environmental conditions. It is generally nonintrusive. Phase II uses focused sampling or other tests to study a concern found in Phase I. Phase III is remediation. Phase IV is long-term management or monitoring of what remains. These labels can vary outside the course, so always read the scope of work. Federal all appropriate inquiries, or AAI, is a review done before purchase, and it is used for certain CERCLA liability protections. A proper Phase I environmental site assessment can help meet AAI, but the inquiry must be done or updated within one year before acquisition. Interviews, cleanup-lien searches, government-record reviews, site inspections and the environmental professional declaration must be done or updated within 180 days before acquisition. An environmental professional must carry out or supervise the required work, and the buyer must meet any continuing obligations. Due diligence is more than ordering one report. Read its limits, check who may rely on it, follow its advice and update stale work. An environmental impact statement, or EIS, is different. An EIS studies effects, mitigation and choices for a government decision. It is not a Phase I property report.
Why it matters
Know the order of the four phases. Also know this split: a site report helps a buyer study a parcel, while an EIS helps an agency study a public choice.
New York scenario
A buyer of a former dry-cleaning site receives a three-year-old Phase I prepared for someone else. An environmental professional should decide whether the report is current, whether this buyer may rely on it and whether Phase II testing is needed.
Common misconception: Phase I normally identifies concerns without sampling. Phase II is the targeted testing stage. Also, an EIS is not another name for an environmental site assessment.
Check your recall
Phase I investigates, Phase II tests, Phase III remediates and Phase IV manages or monitors what remains.
Before acquisition, with any required continuing obligations followed afterward.
An EIS informs a government decision about impacts and alternatives. Phase I investigates a property's environmental conditions for a transaction.
Exam rule
A real estate license does not make someone a code official, engineer, architect or home inspector, and it does not make the person a pest or environmental expert either. The licensee should observe and describe visible facts. Disclose known material facts when the law calls for it. Give the parties key records, note the response, and refer them to the right expert or agency. Do not diagnose a weak structure. Do not name a pollutant by sight. Do not promise that a repair will work or say that a home is safe. The right expert depends on the issue. An engineer or architect handles structural design, a licensed home inspector reviews covered home systems, and a licensed mold assessor studies mold. An environmental professional handles site reviews, a certified lab tests water or materials, and DEC or the local office answers rule questions. A client's order does not excuse concealment, and fraud or dishonest conduct can lead to discipline for untrustworthiness under Article 12-A. New York's Property Condition Disclosure Statement reports what the seller knows. It is not a warranty, code paper or substitute for the buyer's own checks. A general home inspection also has limits. It is not environmental clearance. Due diligence means choosing the right review before the buyer is bound or the risk grows.
Why it matters
Most facts in this unit lead to one choice. Say what you know, do not guess and send the client to the right expert.
New York scenario
A seller tells the licensee not to share an old tank report. The licensee should refuse, involve the supervising broker, preserve the record and address the disclosure issue instead of following the instruction.
Common misconception: A disclaimer does not cure a false statement or concealment. Use careful language, but still disclose known facts and do not speak beyond your competence.
Check your recall
Observe, describe, disclose, document and refer to the right qualified professional or agency.
No. It reports the seller's knowledge and does not replace the buyer's inspections or due diligence.
Preserve it, address required disclosure, provide it when appropriate and recommend qualified review instead of interpreting it as a safety guarantee.
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Name the legal, financial or factual issue the question is testing.
2. Apply
Use the controlling rule. Ignore facts that do not change that rule.
3. Conclude
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Choose an answer to see how the rule applies, or reveal the explanation to study the example.
1. Identify
Name the legal, financial or factual issue the question is testing.
2. Apply
Use the controlling rule. Ignore facts that do not change that rule.
3. Conclude
Choose the answer that follows the rule without adding assumptions.
Scenario lab
Scenario 1
A buyer wants to remove the wall between a kitchen and dining room. The wall may be bearing, and a header or flitch beam may be needed. The licensee should describe the plan and refer the buyer to a qualified design professional.
A blueprint is a drawing. Specifications are written instructions for materials and workmanship, and together they guide the work and the permit review. On the site, proper grading and drainage move water away from the structure. Landscaping, shade, walks, driveways and other appurtenances also affect use, access and drainage, while zoning controls what may be built. The structure starts with a footing that spreads the load into the soil. Foundation walls may enclose a basement or crawl space, and a slab-on-grade is a concrete floor supported directly by the ground. A sill plate connects wood framing to the foundation. Beams and girders carry joists, lally columns support beams or girders, and studs form walls. Platform construction builds one floor at a time, while post and beam construction uses larger vertical posts and horizontal beams. Rafters meet at a ridge board or ridge beam and carry roof sheathing. Wall and roof sheathing stiffen the frame and provide a base for exterior materials. A bearing wall carries weight from above. A header carries weight over a wall opening, a lintel spans an opening in masonry, and a flitch plate strengthens a wood beam with a steel plate. These pieces must tie together so loads travel safely to the soil.
Scenario 2
A seller painted over peeling walls in a 1965 home. The federal lead disclosure process still applies, and the new paint does not prove that the old lead hazard was removed.
Asbestos was used in insulation, fireproofing, floor tile, roofing, siding and other building materials. Friable material can be crumbled by hand pressure when dry and can release fibers more easily. Exposure can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Appearance alone is not reliable. Bulk sampling tests a material, air monitoring checks airborne fibers and wipe sampling may be used for settled dust in an appropriate investigation. Sampling, removal and disposal belong to properly qualified professionals. Lead can be present in old paint, drinking water and soil. It can harm adults, but young children and pregnant people face special risk. EPA and HUD administer the federal lead disclosure rule. For most pre-1978 housing, it requires disclosure of known lead information and records, an EPA pamphlet and a ten-day opportunity for the buyer to conduct a risk assessment or inspection unless the parties change or waive that period in writing. Testing and remediation depend on the source. Fresh paint alone is not lead abatement. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can enter through soil openings and collect indoors. Long-term exposure raises lung cancer risk. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or higher and considering action from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Test the subject property because neighboring results do not settle its level. Sub-slab depressurization is a common mitigation method, and radon-resistant features can be installed during new construction.
Scenario 3
A seller tells the licensee not to share an old tank report. The licensee should refuse, involve the supervising broker, preserve the record and address the disclosure issue instead of following the instruction.
A real estate license does not make someone a code official, engineer, architect or home inspector, and it does not make the person a pest or environmental expert either. The licensee should observe and describe visible facts. Disclose known material facts when the law calls for it. Give the parties key records, note the response, and refer them to the right expert or agency. Do not diagnose a weak structure. Do not name a pollutant by sight. Do not promise that a repair will work or say that a home is safe. The right expert depends on the issue. An engineer or architect handles structural design, a licensed home inspector reviews covered home systems, and a licensed mold assessor studies mold. An environmental professional handles site reviews, a certified lab tests water or materials, and DEC or the local office answers rule questions. A client's order does not excuse concealment, and fraud or dishonest conduct can lead to discipline for untrustworthiness under Article 12-A. New York's Property Condition Disclosure Statement reports what the seller knows. It is not a warranty, code paper or substitute for the buyer's own checks. A general home inspection also has limits. It is not environmental clearance. Due diligence means choosing the right review before the buyer is bound or the risk grows.
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Start here
Site requirements, drainage, utilities, foundations, framing, and roofing
Heating, cooling, ventilation, plumbing, and electrical systems
Energy efficiency, warranties, and common construction defects
Water, septic, wetlands, flooding, and wood-destroying insects
Asbestos, lead, radon, mold, underground tanks, and indoor air quality
CERCLA concepts, environmental due diligence, and the licensee's disclosure role
A licensee should recognize warning signs without pretending to be an engineer or environmental professional.
Federal lead-based paint rules focus on most pre-1978 residential housing.
Known material facts and mandated disclosures should not be confused with inspection advice.
How sites and structures work, how major systems fail, and how environmental hazards affect transactions. This guide covers 10 lessons with New York scenarios, common mistakes, documents, worked examples, selected web practice and direct links to the sources used.
Subject vocabulary
Open any term for a direct definition, the exam cue, a New York example, the common mix-up and links to the source material.
Exam traps
Plans, the site and the structure from footing to roof
Do not treat every horizontal member as the same thing. Joists usually carry a floor, a girder supports joists, a header spans an opening and a footing spreads the final load into soil.
Ventilation, heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical systems
A larger breaker does not repair an overloaded circuit. Breaker size must match the conductors and approved circuit design. Also, BTU capacity is not an efficiency rating.
Asbestos, lead and radon
Do not sample asbestos yourself. Touching brittle material can release more fibers. Sight alone cannot tell you whether those fibers are asbestos.
Storage tanks, spills, Superfund and freshwater wetlands
Do not treat a clean database search or an unregistered tank as proof of no problem. Records can be incomplete, and an exempt tank can still leak.
The licensee's role: observe, disclose, document and refer
A disclaimer does not cure a false statement or concealment. Use careful language, but still disclose known facts and do not speak beyond your competence.
Forms and records
The exam often gives you a document and asks who uses it, what it proves or when it belongs in the transaction.
Records a qualified inspector's observations about accessible systems and components.
Exam cue: A salesperson should flag concerns and refer specialists, not diagnose structural or environmental conditions.
Creates the federal disclosure process for most housing built before 1978.
Exam cue: Age of construction triggers the process, not visible paint damage alone.
Reviews records, use history and site observations for recognized environmental conditions.
Exam cue: A Phase I is an inquiry and risk screen. It is not a guarantee of a clean site.
Help identify mapped flood risk and lender insurance requirements.
Exam cue: A standard homeowners policy generally does not include flood coverage.
Primary sources
These are the government, statutory and other authoritative materials cited in the lessons and questions above.
Electric and Magnetic Fields
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Home Inspection Professional Licensing and Standards of Practice
New York Department of State
Notice of Adoption: 2025 Uniform Code and Energy Code
New York Department of State
Property Condition Disclosure Statement
New York Department of State
Real Estate License Law: March 2026
New York Department of State
Real Estate Salesperson 77-Hour Curriculum
New York Department of State
Certification Categories and Credit Requirements
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Freshwater Wetland Jurisdictional Determination
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Spill Incidents and Remedial Site Database Search
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Underground Heating Oil Tanks: A Homeowner Guide
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
10 NYCRR Appendix 5-B: Standards for Water Wells
New York State Department of Health
Residential Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Design Handbook
New York State Department of Health
Mold Frequently Asked Questions
New York State Department of Labor
General Business Law Section 771: Home Improvement Contracts
New York State Senate Open Legislation
General Business Law Section 777-A: Housing Merchant Implied Warranty
New York State Senate Open Legislation
The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Brownfields All Appropriate Inquiries
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Chlordane Hazard Summary
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Overview of the Safe Drinking Water Act
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Phaseout of Ozone-Depleting Substances
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Building Materials
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Private Drinking Water Wells
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Protect Your Family from Exposures to Asbestos
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Real Estate Disclosures About Potential Lead Hazards
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Summary of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
What Is EPA’s Action Level for Radon and What Does It Mean?
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Frequent Questions About Underground Storage Tanks
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Separate required course
5 of 77 course hours
New York assigns this time within its required pre-licensing course. It is not the time needed to use this exam-prep guide or mobile app.
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Editorial record
Built from the mobile app's reviewed New York lesson and question bank, then checked against the official curriculum and cited sources.
Scope note
This guide supports exam study and issue recognition. It does not replace an approved 77-hour course or advice from an attorney, tax professional, lender, engineer, inspector or other qualified specialist.
